One Writer Fiancé: A Wedding Planning Story
by SpeciosaClade31
Summary: Sequel to 'No Laughter For His Medicine'. Castle and Beckett are already engaged and have finally set a date. This story takes us on their journey as they plan their wedding. Tons of fluff, lots of humor and an all around feel good story! It's totally AU, but it takes place during season 6.
1. Setting The Date

_**Oh,**_ **_hey_**_** everyone! I'm back! I thought about giving myself a little break before diving into the next story, but my insomnia got the best of me. **_

**_For those that followed me for my first story (_**No Laughter for His Medicine**_), this is the sequal. For those that are just finding me as a writer, you don't have to read that in order to get this one, but you may find it helpful to get an idea as to how I write and the direction I'm taking our beloved Caskett._**

**_*Insert the obligatory Marlowe is a genius and I own nothing quote here* _**

**_Hope you enjoy!_**

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Castle and Beckett had gone back to sleep for a bit after their little setting-the-date celebration. They knew their guests would still be asleep, so they decided to lay in bed just a little while longer. Castle was sitting up, leaning against the headboard while Beckett was sitting in between his legs, leaning her back into to his chest with his arms wrapped around her waist. She had grabbed the calendar one more time to make sure that he was really on board with the date they had picked.

"So it's settled then. You're really ok with this date?"

"Kate, I already told you. Just tell me when and where and I promise I'll be there."

And you're sure we'll be able to get everything done in time? Remember, I've never done this before, so I have no idea what goes in to planning one of these things."

"Kate, it's a little over five months. I can't promise it will be easy and it will be a bit rushed, but I can promise you that we can do this and it will be amazing!"

Smiling at the thought of them getting married and starting their life together, Kate couldn't help but remember what this date meant to them. "Castle, you know what day this is, right?"

"It's a Sunday?" He said with a smirk pretending not to know what the actual date signified. Truth was, he knew exactly what that date meant to them. "OWWWW! Ok! OK! APPLESAPPLESAPPLES!" Castle screamed as Kate pinched his thigh.

"That's what you get for being a wise ass!"

"I'm sorry, Kate," he said as he gave her a tight squeeze. "But do you really think that I'd forget one of the most important days of my life? The very foundation in which our love is built upon? You wound me, woman! In fact, not only do I know exactly what that date means, I even remember word for word what you said to me that day."

"Oh, please, Castle. You couldn't even remember my cell phone number the other day! There's no way you remember what I said to you," she said turning her head so that she was now looking up at him.

"Hey! To be fair, that's what speed dial is for. Anyway, I believe it went something like this," he said as he smiled recalling exactly how their first encounter went. "You walked up behind me and said, _'Mr. Castle?'_ I spun around, sharpie in hand and said, _'Where would you like it?'_ You then flashed your badge and said the greatest 20 words you have ever said to me. _'Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight.'_ And that, my dear detective, is the beginning of our love story," he said with the smuggest of looks on his face as he just proved her wrong.

She was trying not to be happy at the fact that he remembered all of that. She didn't mind that he was right about it all. What she was, was mad that he had just proved her wrong. "Ugh. I suppose you deserve a little credit for remembering," she said rolling her eyes still trying to hide her smile.

"A little credit? Beckett, please! I think a memory like that deserves a reward. Don't you think?" He said while giving her his famous eyebrow wiggle as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Uh, no, Castle. I hate to burst your bubble, but it's almost 10 and we have guests here. Guests that are probably hungry! Sorry, bud, but your reward will have to wait until later," she said giving him one last peck on the lips before jumping out of bed and heading to the bathroom. "Besides, don't you want to share the news?"

"Eh. I guess we'll eventually have to leave the room, huh?" Hearing the sound of the shower being turned on, Castle had gone over to one of his drawers to pull out a few colored pens. Now that the date was set, Castle took it upon himself to mark it down on the calendar. Finding the page he needed, he stared at the date trying to figure out what to draw. Ten minutes later, after he finally figured out what to do, he was done. He had finished just in time as Beckett finished her shower. He laid the calendar back down where she had left it and sat on the bed trying to look as innocent as possible.

The second she walked out of the bathroom she took one good look at him immediately knowing he had done something. Stopping to look around the room, Beckett crossed her arms and squinted her eyes at him. "Castle, what did you do?"

"Whaaaat? Beckett why do you always think that I've either done something or am up to something?"

"Because you usually do and you usually are! Please remember what I do for a living and that subtlety isn't your strongest asset. You know what? Never mind. Just go get dressed. I'd like to leave the room to get food sometime soon."

Shrugging his shoulders and giving her a kiss on the cheek, he headed off into the bathroom to start getting dressed. After putting on a T-shirt and a pair of leggings, Beckett started making the bed. When she pulled the duvet off to straighten out the flat sheet, the calendar had fallen to the floor flipping open to the exact page Castle had just finished drawing on.

Picking it up, Kate couldn't help but give a huge smile at the sight of the drawing. That man, she thought. That amazing, silly, wonderful man had taken the time to make sure that the date they had just picked for their wedding was clearly marked on the calendar. Calendar still in hand, Kate walked over to her dresser where she put on her engagement ring. She couldn't help but look down at her hand and admire the ring as it caught the light perfectly.

"I don't know what sparkles more. The ring when the light hits it in just the right way or the look in your eyes every time you put it on," he said as he made his way to her from the bathroom. "I see you found my drawing?"

Wrapping her arms around his torso, Kate couldn't help but pull him in for a kiss. Pulling away and looking up into his eyes, she smiled as she said, "I did and I love it. And you. I love you, Rick."

"Let's go make breakfast, shall we?" Castle grabbed her hand as they made their way out of the bedroom.

The calendar lay open on the March 2014 page. There in the March 9th box, **_'KB + RC = 4E'_** was written in a bright purple marker, calligraphy style, with a giant red heart around it.

Rick Castle and Kate Beckett had finally set a date.

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**_As usual, reviews are always welcome!_**


	2. Toast and Toasts

**_I'd like to extend my sincerest apologies for making it seem like I abandoned this story and send my eternal gratitude for anyone that's still following this story and me as a writer. After I posted the first chapter, my mind went absolutely blank and I was a little scared to come back to this. There were also somepersonal issues that got in the way that absolutely killed my confidence as a person and a writer. I actually found some inspiration this week after coming *SO CLOSE* to actually meeting Stana and meeting some AMAZING Castle friends! I can feel my confidence going up a bit And I'm ready to kick this writer's block to the curb! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Thank you again for sticking around! _**

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Making their way out to the kitchen, not seeing any of their guests yet, Castle and Beckett decided to get a head start on breakfast of everyone. Kate hadn't officially moved in yet, but she moved around the kitchen with the greatest of ease knowing exactly where everything was and Castle loved every second of it. Breakfast was usually his thing, but watching Kate looking so domestic, he couldn't help but stare with the goofiest of grins.

She was standing at the stove preparing the scrambled eggs when she felt his eyes on her. "You're staring," she said without having to turn around. "It's cree..."

"Creepy. I know, I know. I'm sorry, Kate. I just can't help it. Seeing you so...domestic...it's just..." Castle had walked up behind her wrapping his arm around her waist as she cooked letting out a little growl into the back of her hair.

"Ok, Captain Caveman. Save it for later. Can you just get the bacon out of the fridge and start working on the pancake batter?"

"Mmmmm. I like Bossy Beckett," he said as he made his way over to the fridge.

"Something smells amazing," Jenny said as she and Ryan made their way downstairs. "You guys didn't have to do this!"

"Oh, stop! You guys took some of your own time just to spend a with us throughout the entire 'he-who-shall-not-be-named' fiasco. This is the least we could do. Especially since we weren't even here for most of the day."

"Oh, Rick. No worries. That's what friends are for," Jenny said while giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Anything we can do to help?"

"Would you guys mind setting the table? Everything is almost done. Where are Espo and Lanie?" Kate said.

"Here!" Chimed Lanie as she and Espo emerged from the other guest room. "Sorry. Someone didn't want to get out of bed."

"What? Those pillows are comfortable! Yo, Castle. They are the most comfortable thing I've ever laid my head on. Well, almost," Espo said as he eyed Lanie up and down.

"Javier Esposito, must you be so perverted?" Lanie said as she crossed her arms shaking her head at him.

"Um," Javi thought for a second about his next answer, knowing whatever answer he gave would've been wrong, so he opted for the easiest one. "Yes." He said trying to grab a piece of bacon from the plate before getting his hand swatted away by the spatula Beckett was holding.

"Hey! Hands off, Espo! Go bring this to the table so everyone else can eat." Beckett laughed as she handed Javi the plate.

With everyone settled at the table digging into breakfast, Martha came sweeping into the loft not hiding the fact that she was indeed doing the walk of shame. Seeing the looks on everyone's faces, she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh stop looking so shocked. You know you've all done your own walks once or twice! Katherine, need I remind you of last Friday evening, dear? Or should I say Saturday morning?" She said as she sat down at the table with everyone. "Richard, be a good boy and fix a plate for me."

Kate, Lanie and Jenny suddenly looked at each other then back down at their plates really trying to concentrate on their food. Yeah, they weren't hiding anything at all.

"Ooohhhh, Beckett! You just got busted by your mother-in-law." Said Ryan as he took a sip of orange juice. He suddenly remembered something about that Friday night she was talking about. "Wait. Last Friday night? Jenny, isn't that the night you went to your sister's house out on Long Island and then got caught in construction on the L.I.E?"

"Uh...um...Was that last Friday night?" Jenny said while stuffing her mouth with a forkful of scrambled eggs. She turned about 47 shades of red all while mumbling something complete incoherent.

"Hold on," Espo said as he turned to Lanie. "Weren't you supposed to be having dinner with your cousin?"

Not acknowledging Javi at all, Lanie picked up a piece of bacon. "How did you get this bacon so crispy, Kate?"

"Ah ha!" Castle exclaimed as he turned his whole body in his chair shaking his head at Beckett. "Stuck doing paperwork? Et tu, Beckett?"

"I...uh...eh...love you?" She said shrugging her shoulders all while giving Castle a sheepish grin.

Martha couldn't help but laugh at the 3 women trying to come up with a decent cover story. She had accidentally opened up that can of worms, but that didn't stop her from enjoying watching them squirm a bit.

"So, ladies," Ryan said going into interrogation mode. "What you're telling us is that you all lied to us about your whereabouts last Friday evening. Is that correct?"

"Lied is a strong word, Kevin. We may or may not have changed our original plans at the last minute and didn't inform you of said change." Jenny said while Kate and Lanie nodded in agreement.

"Exactly! Thank you, Jenny!" Lanie said as she got up to get another cup of coffee. "If you have to blame someone, blame me. My cousin called to cancel, so I called up my girls here and we had ourselves a night out. We hadn't had one in a while, so I convinced them to hang out for a bit. Not a crime, fellas!"

"Yeah, guys. You're acting like we went out and robbed a bank or something. We are entitled to a night off from you every once in a while. Besides, Castle. You said you had a chapter due, so who am I to stand in the way of your creative genius?" Kate said batting her eyelashes at her fiancé. "Plus you boys better get used to me hogging these ladies up. We've got less than five months to plan this wedding because it most certainly won't be planning itself."

Looking at each other, then back at Kate, Martha, Lanie and Jenny squealed in excitement, "YOU SET A DATE?!"

Grabbing Kate's hand, Castle proudly smiled. "March 9th, 2014."

"What's March 9th, 2014?" Alexis said as she walked in the door. "Oooh, are those pancakes?"

"Hey, pumpkin! You have perfect timing. Grab a plate and have a seat." Castle said as he stood to give Alexis a quick kiss on the cheek. "March 9th, 2014, if you're not too busy of course, you are invited to a party!" Kate couldn't help but roll her eyes as Castle wiggled his eyebrows at his last statement.

"A party? Why would I... Oh...My...GOD!" Click. Good thing Alexis was smart. Realizing what her dad had just told her, she dropped her fork, got up and ran straight over to hug Kate squealing in excitement. "Really?! Like...really, really?"

"Yes, really! Like...really, really!" Kate said as she hugged Alexis back giving Castle a wink.

Castle couldn't help but get a little emotional at the moment. Here he was, sitting at the table surrounded by the most important people in his life. His best friends, his mother, his daughter and his fiancé. Moments like these are what he treasured most and he was truly thankful for this one. Alexis accepting Kate was the one thing he was most afraid of, but seeing her reaction was all he needed to put his mind at ease. Standing up with his coffee mug in hand, Castle decided that a toast was in order. Such a sap he is.

"Everyone, I'd like to propose a toast." He waited until everyone had a beverage in hand. Glancing around the table, he couldn't help but get a little choked up as he spoke his next sentence. "To Family." In his eyes, there was no separation of friends and family. As everyone raised their glasses, they paused before clinking them together as they watched Castle walk over and grab Kate, pulling her in for a long, slow kiss. "To Always."

"Well, I really hate to spoil this moment, but we should really get a jump on planning this wedding seeing as how we barely have five months," Martha said as everyone nodded in agreement. Noticing that they weren't letting each other go anytime soon, Martha spoke a little louder. "Richard? Katherine? Hello?!"

"GUYS!" Lanie's scream seemed to break them out of their little trance. Castle and Kate seemed a little embarrassed as they sheepishly looked at everyone muttering an apology. "Thank you! Good Lord, you two really are a walking fairy tale. Anyway, like Martha was saying, we really do need to start some heavy duty planning. Kate do you have any idea what you want?"

"Yeah, kinda. I mean, I know what I don't want, so that's a start, right?" Turning to Castle, she realized that she had never really asked him anything about what he may or may not have wanted. "What about you, Castle? This is your wedding as much as it is mine. What do you think?"

"Kate, I think you should go ahead and do whatever you want. This is your day. Just tell me what to wear, where to go and when to be there. I know I'll be happy with whatever it is you decide."

"Best move ever, bro," Espo chimed in. "Although, I'm sure Kevin here would want some input on table linens, Beckett. I hear he's an expert."

"Enough with the table linens, please!" Ryan said as everyone couldn't help but laugh at him. "Am I ever gonna live that down?"

"No!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Well, since everyone is here and we've all got an entire day off what do you say we start planning everything now?" Alexis said looking at Kate. "I mean, if you really want to."

"I'd say that is an excellent idea, darling!" Martha said while hugging Alexis. "Katherine, dear. Are you ok with this?"

"I'm definitely ok with this, Martha," Kate said as she smiled at her future mother-in-law. "We can set up stuff in the office while the boys clean up. Right, babe?"

"But, Beckett!" Castle tried to protest, but stopped himself immediately when he saw the look on her face. "C'mon, guys. The faster we get this done, the faster we can go out and do something...manly."

Espo and Ryan muttered a few choice words at Castle as they began cleaning up the table, but quickly stopped when Lanie and Jenny shot them a disapproving look before walking into the office. Just as Espo started putting things in the dishwasher, he couldn't help but wonder something. "Yo, Beckett. Um, I was just wondering, where are you guys gonna live?"

Kate had stopped and turned around looking at Castle, back to Espo, then back to Castle. Oh, that. "Well...we...um..." Crap. "Where the hell are we gonna live, Castle?"

"Ok, so maybe we should discuss that before we do any wedding planning, huh?" Castle said while rubbing the back of his head. "I just figured you'd move in here. Or I can always move in with you if you don't like this idea or we can just find a place of our own."

"As much as I love my place, it's definitely not big enough for the both of us, Castle. Plus how are we supposed to find time to look for somewhere that both of us like all while trying to plan a wedding, you finishing a book and me working?"

Uh-oh.

Alexis, Lanie and Jenny had already gone into the office to start some wedding planning, but Martha had gone up to her room to gather some magazines that she had stashed away for this very occasion. As she made her way back downstairs, she caught the tail end of the conversation. "If I may, kids, I've got a suggestion that may work out for everyone."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Martha as she sauntered down the stairs. "I'm open to anything right now, Martha since we don't seem to have a starting point," Kate said.

"Katherine, I know how much you like your apartment and your belongings and, Richard, I know how long you've been itching to get me out of here," Castle tried to speak, but Martha waved him off. "Don't even deny it, darling. Alexis is an adult, so you don't need my help with her anymore. Plus it's high time I get out of your way and get my own space. So what I'm suggesting is that Katherine moves in here and I'll take her apartment. It's a win win for everyone, really."

Everyone stared at Kate in silence as they watched her try to process what Martha had just said. The looks she was making were priceless. She went from tilting her head, furrowing her eyebrows, pursing her lips from side to side, opening and closing her mouth a few times and letting out a few sighs all in a matter or seconds. After what seemed like forever, Kate finally spoke. "Martha are you sure about this? This is your home and I don't want to..."

"Oh, nonsense, Katherine! You've been practically living here anyway since you and Richard got together. Doing this just makes it more official. Please, dear. Let me do this. I promise you that I'm a hundred percent ok with this."

Castle noticed that Kate seemed a little apprehensive to the whole idea, so he walked over to her and pulled her aside so they could have a quick moment alone to talk. "Hey, Kate, talk to me. We don't have to do this. We can figure something else out. I know this is a lot at once, so if you want to hold off, we can always push the wedding back if..."

"No! We are NOT pushing our wedding back, Castle! Don't you think we've waited long enough?" Kate shot back at him immediately, but she couldn't help but smile when she realized what he was doing. It was a lot to take in, but this was different. She was different. "You're right, it is a lot, but it's all part of what I signed up for the second you put this ring on my finger." Kate leaned in to give him a kiss just to reassure him that she was ok. "I'm actually ok with your mother's idea. It really is the most logical solution."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Castle, I'm sure," she said smiling up at him as she grabbed his hand to make their way back over to the kitchen. "Martha, if you promise me that you're really ok with this, then I say let's do it. I think it's a great idea!"

"Oh, wonderful!" Martha said as she gave Kate a hug. "Now that this is all settled, let's head back into the office to share the good news with the girls and to at least get a little planning done. You boys should find a way to make yourself scarce for the day."

"Actually, Martha, I've got a better idea. Why don't we go over to my place to do some planning. That way, you can also take a look around and we can put the moving plan into motion. Plus we'll get more done with the boys out of our hair," Kate said as she winked at Martha.

"Ah! An even better idea. I'll go tell the ladies of our new plan," Martha said as she walked towards the office.

After a few minutes, the ladies were ready to head over to Kate's leaving the boys behind to do...whatever it was that the three of them were going to do.

"Remember, Castle. We'll be back here by 8:30, so whatever mess you guys make better be cleaned up by then. Oh, and try not to eat too much junk food. It'll spoil dinner. Also don't break anything...or each other for that matter!" Kate said as the four women behind her couldn't help but laugh.

Castle, Espo and Ryan made an attempt to answer back, but quickly stopped themselves when they saw the look on Beckett's face. All they could do was nod and put their heads down knowing that if they made the slightest move to protest, they'd be in a ton of trouble.

Castle had walked over to the door making sure that the women were already in the elevator and to make sure the door was locked. Turning to Espo and Ryan, he wiggled his eyebrows and said, "Gentlemen! What do you say to a friendly game of laser tag? Every man for himself and first one to five-hundred wins."

Espo and Ryan looked at each other, then back at Castle. "Game on, bro."

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"My guess is either laser tag or Halo," Kate said as they rode the elevator down.

"Knowing dad, he pulled out the laser tag first."

"You don't think they'd actually hurt each other, do you?" Jenny said as she tried to picture them playing laser tag.

"Oh, Jenny. With the three of them, anything is possible," Lanie said.

"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of."

The five women looked at each other, then started laughing at the thought of the three men getting into as much trouble as possible. As they walked out of the lobby and down the street to the subway, Kate couldn't help but smile. Never could she have imagined that she'd be leaving her fiancé and her two partners alone for the day to play video games while she went off to go plan her wedding with her two best friends, future mother-in-law and step-daughter. The only thing missing was her mother. Just as she began to get completely lost in her thoughts, a warm breeze brushed by her sending a shiver up her spine causing her to stop in her tracks. "Hi, mom," she whispered to herself while looking up at the clear blue sky.

"Hey, Kate. You ok?" Lanie said as she turned back to where Kate was standing.

Kate couldn't help but smile at the thought that her mother had just given her a sign that she was there. "Yeah," she smiled and nodded. "I'm fine, Lanie. Let's go." For the first time, in a long time, Katherine Houghton Beckett was truly happy.

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**_I know it's not perfect, but I'm just getting over what is probably the worst case of writers block I've ever had. I beg of you to be gentle! _**

**_Oh, and feel free to follow me on Twitter: _**SpeciosaClade31


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